Outgoing Chair’s Message 20 20
byLarry Yaffe 2019 OABA Chair
A
s I write my final article as the OABA Chair of 2019 on this New Year’s Day, I’ve spent some time reflect- ing on the past twelve months, as many people do at this time of year. This was a very important year in the history of our association as we went through an enormous amount of change. Bob Johnson, our President for the previous 25 years, retired and Greg Chiecko took over the reins of the organization. In addition, we took on new staff members in Sue Gallup and Tim Kwiatkowski, and we moved the office from Orlando, Florida, to West Springfield, Massachusetts, which created all sorts of logistical issues that needed to be solved while continu- ing our everyday operations.
I am incredibly proud to report that despite all the change and transitions explained above, this year could not have gone smoother thanks to Greg’s leadership and hard work, and our staff’s diligence and dedication. Not only did all the above get accomplished, but we achieved our aggressive financial goals for the year. This does not mean there is not work to be done in the future, but with all of the change necessary, we have a solid, stable foundation moving forward into 2020. Another large accomplishment in our past year was the continued progress that we made in the H2B fight. As I write this, we are putting together a detailed strategy with our lobbyists, in order that we strive aggressively to find a permanent solution to this major industry issue.
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As we transition to 2020, I know that our indus- try will be in great hands as Debbie Powers takes the helm. There is not a more tireless fundraiser and supporter of this industry. I cannot wait to support her term as Chair. I ask that more of you consider getting involved to help in whatever way you can, whether it is volunteering time, money, or both. Every little bit helps. One of the great things about this industry is that while many of you are competitors with each other, almost everyone always seems to band together for the greater good when there is a crisis. I hope that people will continue to have this mindset, as we need it now more than ever. There is a well-known expression that “Many hands make light work.” Please keep this in mind when you consider volunteering and not just waiting to see if someone else will step up. Thank you for affording me the honor and privilege to be able to be the Chair of the OABA during 2019. It is an experience that has made me a better person for going through it, and I hope that our organization is a little bit better for me having served as Chairman for the past 12 months. I look forward to continuing to stay involved as a Trustee for many years to come.
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